Moving to The Philippines

There are some legal requirements for moving to the Philippines. Visitors from many countries, including the United States, are able to visit the Philippines without a visa. On the other hand, citizens of certain other countries may not enter the Philippines without approval from the Philippine government's Consulates and Embassies. Those who require any kind of visa have to find a sponsor in the Philippines and have a passport that is valid for six months from the date the visa is issued by a Philippine consulate.

Visas can be of three kinds - single entry visa, valid for visits of 3 months, multiple entry visa, used primarily for government reasons and valid for 3 to 12 months, and transit visa, for people with brief layovers in the Philippines. Some visas additionally require some reference from the Philippines Department of Immigration.

When arriving in the Philippines, visitors are required to show proof of sufficient funds and a homeward ticket. They will get a social visit entry visa, which is often short term, but it could be long term for persons such as non native dependents of Philippine citizens. Travel papers are sometimes required for going between South Philippines and North Philippines.